Portugal vs Greece golden visa
Portugal and Greece run the two best-known golden visa programmes in southern Europe, and both changed recently. Portugal no longer accepts real estate and now starts at EUR 250,000 in culture or EUR 500,000 in funds, research or a company. Greece still accepts property, from EUR 400,000 or EUR 800,000 depending on the region, plus financial routes.
Updated
The table compares the investment routes, the permit terms, the alternatives for people living on passive or remote income, the tax regimes for newcomers and naturalisation. A golden visa is a residence permit: it does not make you tax resident by itself, and neither programme leads straight to a passport.
| Criterion |  Portugal |  Greece |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate route | No longer qualifies (Lei n.º 56/2023) | EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands above 3,100 residents; EUR 400,000 elsewhere (single property, at least 120 m²); EUR 250,000 for a conversion to residential use or a listed building |
| Other investment routes | EUR 500,000 in non-real-estate funds, research or a company with 5 jobs; EUR 250,000 in culture; or 10 jobs (up to 20% lower in low-density regions for the job, research and culture routes) | EUR 350,000 in Greece-only funds; EUR 500,000 term deposit, government bonds or company capital; EUR 800,000 listed Greek securities; EUR 250,000 in a start-up on the Elevate Greece registry |
| Permit terms | 2 years, then renewals of 3 years; investment kept for at least 5 years; 7 days' stay in the first year, 14 days in each later 2-year period | 5 years, renewable |
| Passive income route | D7: EUR 920 a month for the main applicant in 2026; +50% per extra adult; +30% per child | Financially independent person permit: EUR 3,500 a month, +20% for a spouse, +15% per child; 3-year permit |
| Remote work route | D8: EUR 3,680 a month in 2026, average of the last 3 months | Digital nomad visa: EUR 3,500 net a month from employers or clients outside Greece |
| Tax regime for newcomers | IFICI: 20% for 10 years on qualifying Portuguese work income | Article 5A: EUR 100,000 a year on foreign income for up to 15 years, with a EUR 500,000 investment in Greece within 3 years; Article 5B: 7% on foreign income for pensioners, for up to 15 years |
| Naturalisation | 10 years of residence; 7 years for EU and CPLP nationals (applications filed from 2026-05-19) | 7 years of lawful permanent residence with a qualifying permit (investor permits included); 12 years with other permits |
| Banking partners in our network | 0 | 0 |
- Real estate route: Diário da República, Lei n.º 56/2023 (Portugal); Government Gazette, Law 5100/2024, and Mitos (Greece). As of 2026-10-25.
- Other investment routes: Diário da República, Lei n.º 56/2023 (Portugal); TaxLaw.gr and PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (Greece). As of 2026-10-25.
- Permit terms: AIMA and the Portuguese consular visa portal (Portugal); Mitos, golden visa initial issuance (Greece). As of 2026-10-25.
- Passive income route: Portuguese consular visa portal, means of subsistence (Portugal); TaxLaw.gr, financially independent persons (Greece). As of 2026-10-25.
- Remote work route: Portuguese consular visa portal, residence visa documents (Portugal); Joint Ministerial Decision, Government Gazette B 1807/2024 (Greece). As of 2026-10-25.
- Tax regime for newcomers: Portal das Finanças, IFICI (Portugal); PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries and International Bar Association (Greece). As of 2026-10-25.
- Naturalisation: Diário da República, Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 (Portugal); Mitos, naturalisation of foreign nationals (Greece). As of 2026-10-25.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Approval always rests with the institution or authority.
Our take
Portugal suits investors who are happy to put capital into funds, research, culture or a business rather than property, and who want a permit with a very short minimum stay.
Greece suits investors who want property, or a choice of financial routes, and who value its tax regimes for newcomers; golden visa property must not be let short term. Both countries offer simpler permits for people who will actually live there on passive or remote income. Check each programme's current status before committing: both have changed within the last three years.
Questions
Can I still buy property for a Portugal golden visa?
No. Since Lei n.º 56/2023, real estate no longer qualifies for Portugal's golden visa. The remaining routes start at EUR 250,000 in culture and heritage or EUR 500,000 in non-real-estate funds, research or a company that creates five jobs.
How much is the Greece golden visa in 2026?
Through property, EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands above 3,100 residents, and EUR 400,000 elsewhere, for a single property of at least 120 m². Conversions to residential use or listed buildings qualify from EUR 250,000, and financial routes start at EUR 350,000.
Do I have to live in Portugal or Greece?
Portugal's golden visa requires 7 days in the first year and 14 days in each later two-year period. Greece's golden visa is a five-year renewable permit. In Greece, more than 183 days in any 12-month period makes you tax resident, so plan presence and tax together.
Does a golden visa lead to citizenship?
Only through normal naturalisation. Portugal requires 10 years of residence, or 7 for EU and CPLP nationals, for applications filed from 19 May 2026. Greece requires 7 years of lawful permanent residence with a qualifying permit, investor permits included, or 12 years with other permits.
The jurisdictions in this comparison
- Portugal residence permits: golden visa, D7 and D8Portuguese residence for non-EU nationals runs mainly through three routes: the golden visa for qualifying non-property investments, the D7 visa for passive income of at least EUR 920 a month in 2026, and the D8 visa for remote income of at least EUR 3,680. Approval rests with the consulates and AIMA.Learn more
- Greece golden visa and residence permitsThe Greek golden visa is a five-year renewable residence permit for non-EU investors, with no minimum stay. As of 2026, property must cost at least EUR 400,000, or EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki and the larger islands, while EUR 250,000 still applies to conversions and listed buildings. Remote workers and retirees have income-based permits instead.Learn more
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